The Kohaku River
by Thread Magic
Summary: Have you ever wondered what happened when Chihiro's shoe was lost in the Kohaku River? This is a very short story explaining what could have happened. Finished


Little Chihiro ran along the edges of the yard, laughing as she chased a butterfly. Her parents smiled at her from the doorway before turning to go back inside. Chihiro laughed as she fruitlessly chased the blue butterfly around her yard. The laugh faded when the butterfly flew over the fence lining the yard. She stuck her bottom lip out in a pout before smiling broadly and running inside to her parents. Running up to her mother, she tugged on her pant leg.

"Yes Chihiro?"

"Mommy, can we go to the river? I wanna swim."

"No honey, the current's too strong for you to swim. You'll be swept away. And besides, we don't have time today. Maybe we'll take you to the city pool tomorrow." After telling her small daughter that, she turned back to cutting carrots for dinner.

"But I wanna go NOW! And I'm strong enough, I can swim! You and Daddy taught me, remember?"

"I know we did, but you're too small. The current would take you away. And it's too dark right now anyways." Chihiro pouted and crossed her arms.

Chihiro looked out at the stars while sitting in the grass. She was taking a break from chasing the fireflies. If she strained her ears, she could just hear the sounds of the river. _Why can't I go to the river? The river spirit would protect me. Isn't that what Mommy always said, that if you're kind to the spirits, they'll protect you?_ Chihiro sighed.

Looking up, she saw a white light streak across the sky. She gave a small gasp before closing her eyes and making a wish. _I wish that the spirit of the Kohaku River was safe and kind and well, so that I can go swimming tomorrow._ She reopened her eyes and smiled before heading back inside to get ready for bed.

"Please Mommy? You said you would take me swimming." Chihiro clung to her mother's arm pleadingly.

"I said I would take you to the city pool. And it was only a maybe. You're staying with Tokuma-chan while Daddy and I go somewhere."

"But I wanna go to the Kohaku River! Maya gets to go with her mommy and daddy on the weekends. Why can't you take me?"

"Maya is older than you. And what her mommy and daddy do isn't our business. Now let go of my arm. I'm going to be late."

It took another five minutes before Chihiro was unattached from her mother's arm, and that took the help of her babysitter Tokuma. Chihiro sat on the floor as her parents left via the front door. Her bottom lip started to tremble and her eyes got misty. She didn't understand. She wished upon that star last night that the river spirit would be kind and well so she could go swimming, so why couldn't she?

A few fat tears fell down her cheeks. _Why do Mommy and Daddy always have to be somewhere? Why can't they spend their time with me like Maya's mommy and daddy do with her?_ Chihiro sniffed and wiped the tears from her cheeks when she saw Tokuma coming. The girl didn't say anything as her babysitter tried to talk to her, and finally Tokuma gave up. She picked the little girl up and placed her on the couch in front of the television where a cartoon was playing. Chihiro didn't say a thing.

About half an hour later, while Tokuma was in the bathroom, Chihiro peeked from behind the couch. Seeing that the coast was clear, she darted towards the back door where her shoes were sitting. Carrying them towards the front door, she placed them with the other shoes so when she snuck out it would be easier. Hearing the flush of a toilet, she hurriedly went back into the front room.

"Chihiro-chan, how about we make some lunch?" Chihiro gave a tiny smile and a nod, before she hopped off the couch and took Tokuma's outstretched hand. The two went into the kitchen where the older girl fixed up some sandwiches for lunch. Setting the tuna one in front of Chihiro, the older girl fetched them both a glass of milk before the two ate in silence.

Chihiro sighed. It was one thirty in the afternoon and she still hadn't been able to go to the Kohaku River. She looked around to find her babysitter and saw the older girl on the couch watching the cartoons that she had abandoned. Quickly finding a pair of socks, she grabbed her shoes and, as quietly as she could, she slipped out the front door. She was about a block from her house before she realized that she forgot to put on her swimsuit before she left.

_Darn it. Well, I can't go back, because then I would be caught and I wouldn't be allowed to go. I guess I'll just slip my feet into the water for a bit. It'll feel nice in this heat._ For it was indeed a pretty warm day. The late summer sun hung towards the middle of the cloudless sky. A few people glanced at the small child walking alone on the crowded street, but no one did anything.

Chihiro could finally see the Kohaku River, and with it in her sites, she ran towards in. Smiling as only a child could, she stopped on the bank. She slipped her pink shoes off and tucked her new white socks into them. She sat down, careful not to get the bottom her pants wet, and dipped her feet into the cool water. Her smile widened and she leaned back on her hands whilst closing her eyes.

Chihiro had been sitting there for a few minutes before she decided not to worry Tokuma too much. _Besides, if I come back without them having to find me, I'll be in less trouble for sneaking out._ That was her reasoning and she was sticking to it. She stood up and grabbed her shoes, but because of the socks, one slipped from her grasp and into the shallow water of the bank. She bent down to retrieve it, but slipped a little and pushed it out into the fast moving waters.

Chihiro, knowing she couldn't go home with only one shoe on, followed after it into the river. But her mother was right, and the strong currents pulled her away from the shore as she splashed in face first. She kicked her legs and swung her arms aimlessly, forgetting what her parents taught her in her panic. Finally getting her head briefly above the water, she took a breath before the current took her under again.

Holding her breath, Chihiro opened her eyes to see if she could even see her missing pink shoe. She didn't see it, and she was running out of breath. Once again struggling towards the surface, her head was brought into the air and she gulped the fresh air. Opening her eyes, she looked around for both her shoe and something that she could grab to pull herself out of the water. She saw neither.

The water was flooding her mouth as she struggled to keep above the surface, but her efforts were fruitless as the current once again pulled her under. She was starting to panic, which wasn't good. In her panic she started to become desperate for breath, doubling her flailing around. This did nothing except for tire her out and burn up her oxygen. She was unable to reach the surface again.

Becoming so scared she was going to drown, she started to cry and tried to hold back her sobs, knowing they would just force her to breathe in the water. She squeezed her eyes shut in fear as her kicking slowly stopped and her movements stilled. Bubbles escaped her mouth as she slowly sank. Curling up into a small ball and hoping she would float, she felt something under her. Sure that it was the waterbed, invisible tears escaped her eyes.

When Chihiro felt herself floating up, even though more bubbles were escaping her mouth, she opened her eyes. There was something white, and a little bit of green too, in front of her. Actually, she was sitting on whatever it was. Not questioning it as it was taking her back to the surface, she grabbed onto the green, string-looking stuff tightly as they floated towards air.

When Chihiro's head broke the surface, she gasped for the much needed air. Gaining her breath back, she hugged whatever it was that saved her life. When she let go, it slid out from under her and the green hair slithered through her fingers. She panicked, afraid she was going to fall into the water, but she only softly bumped onto the shore. Looking around, she saw Tokuma running towards her, relief and traces of panic on her face. She was on the bank of the river, and as Tokuma snatched her up in and hug and started telling her off for running off, as well as thanking any and all gods that she was safe, she saw her little pink shoe on the bank next to where she was just sitting. Looking over her babysitter's shoulder, she could have sworn she saw a green and white dragon diving back into the Kohaku River. She wasn't sure, but she had a feeling that this dragon was the one who saved her. She smiled at the river, waved a little and whispered a small, almost inaudible,

"Thank you."


End file.
